Martin Martinez, 30, investigated in 6 deaths

2. Martin Martinez, 30, was arrested Sunday morning while walking out of a theater with his father in San Jose. Martinez is considered a person of interest in the quintuple homicide and the death of 2-year-old Christopher Ripley, according to police.

Christopher is the son of Dr. Amanda Crews who was found dead Saturday along with another woman and three children at a Nob Hill Court home. Crews was a doctor and worked for the Stanislaus County Health Service Agency.

A county official confirmed that Martinez was employed as a stock/delivery clerk for the Stanislaus County Health Services Agency.

Earlier in the day, Modesto Police Chief Galen Carroll said that a pathologist concluded on Thursday that Ripley died of "blunt force trauma" to the head.

Carroll said Martinez had been under investigation since the boy's death in a local hospital and that authorities were preparing to formally charge him with homicide when five bodies were found Saturday afternoon in the Modesto home he used to share with Crews.

One of the children found dead Saturday was 6-month-old Rachael Martinez, the daughter of Crews and Martin Martinez.

The other victims were identified as Anna Brown Romero, 57, Elizabeth Ripley, 6, and Elizabeth's 5-year-old friend -- a distant family member -- who was dropped off at Crews' home earlier in the day.

Christopher and Elizabeth Ripley were the children of Crews and her ex-husband, Timothy Ripley.

A warrant was issued early Sunday morning for Martinez, who was then arrested while coming out of a movie with his father in San Jose.

Carroll said police didn't issue a warrant earlier because they were awaiting the pathologist's written report.

"The Modesto Police did not drop the ball," Carroll said. He said the investigation of Ripley's death took nine months because the department had to hire an outside pathologist who specializes in neurology to help with the case.

"Homicides do take a great deal of time to investigate," Carroll said.

Carroll said a "limited" number of law enforcement officials knew of the pathologist's verbal report delivered to police on Thursday that Ripley was a homicide victim. Carroll said he believes Martinez didn't know of the pathologist's report.

Modesto police spokeswoman Heather Graves said counselors and chaplains are available for the officers who first entered the home and made the grisly discovery. A group of law enforcement officials could be seen huddled together and praying in front of the house shortly after the discovery of the bodies.

The house is in an upscale subdivision lined with four- and five-bedroom homes that were built less than 10 years ago.

Officers were still at the home Monday processing evidence.

Martinez is scheduled to be extradited from Santa Clara County to Stanislaus County by Thursday to face charges.